Strengthening Fridge Shelves

[sjcampbell]

My new fridge arrives in a couple of days making SWMBO very happy. SO I then inherit the Westinghouse 400 litre all fridge.

I have the controller all ready to go but I don't think the shelves are going to take 25kgs! I saw a fridge on here (but cant find the pic now) of a brewing fridge with a shelf with amplimesh installed on top. This would be ideal as it would let the air, and thus temp, flow between the top fermenter and the bottom.

The bottom fermenter will be fine as it will sit on the compressor hump and vegetable crisper.

The shelf wil be in the middle (around 650 mm from the base) and the existing shelf is 520m wide and 320mm deep.

If anyone could give me pointers on the necessary strengthening/replacement of the shelf it would be much appreciated and could prevent a 23 litre accident

cheers
Steve

 

[Ross]

I just use a piece of aluminium checker plate on top of the shelf - Gives it the ridgidty it needs.

cheers Ross

 

[MeLoveBeer]

I didn't trust the shelving in my 420L fridge and built a shelving unit to fit out of slotted metal and checkerplate; its not a cheap solution, but works a treat.

Only thing I would recommend would be to find an alternative to the checkerplate... for me, the checkerplate really hinders circulation and the temp difference between top shelf and bottom shelf can be as much as 3 degrees sometimes.

 

[sjcampbell]

THanks guys.

I wonder if there is a stronger version of the Alplimesh - like the expanded steel mesh used for walkways, only lighter?

Cheers
Steve

 

[raven19]

Whatever you make, make it strong! and something that can be cleaned if you have a few drips when taking hydrometer samples from the tap, etc.

In my old fridge (no gas/power lines in the side), I welded a steel shelf out of offcuts and screwed in supporting angles to support the fermentor weight.

In my newer fridge I welded up an additional supporting frame that supports the existing shelf at the mid point.

Painted them both also for easy cleaning.

 

[TidalPete]

I just use a piece of aluminium checker plate on top of the shelf - Gives it the ridgidty it needs.

Similar but just use the ally checker plate.
If your crisper shelf is glass it might be an idea to replace it with another piece of checker plate for safety's sake.

TP

 

[sjcampbell]

Thanks for all the replies.

What I am thinking of is to get some ally checkerboard plate and test it with 25kg on top (paving bricks). If I get too much deflection I have some angle iron to put under the shelf and bolt through the shelf to the plate and countersink the bolt heads so it doesn't rip the backside out of the fermenter when I slide it in.

Edit: Mate is going to cut a series of 20mm holes in the plate where the fermenter does't sit to aid in circulation. If worse comes to worse I'll put a 'puter fan in there to keep things moving.

Cheers
Steve

 

[Bribie G]

Where do you buy checkerplate offcuts? I have a bodged up lower shelf in my little fermenter fridge (5L mini-jerry of water sits on the bottom, then a thickly folded bathroom towel on that, then the wire shelf rests on that and the fermenter goes onto the top).

 

[reVoxAHB]

I built a little 3 legged (and top) stand that tucks perfectly under the stock wire shelf.

A few good coats of paint and ample drying time has kept it nice.. easy to cloth clean dry too when I encounter excessive blow off, spills, etc.

Cheers
reVox

 

[sjcampbell]

Where do you buy checkerplate offcuts? I have a bodged up lower shelf in my little fermenter fridge (5L mini-jerry of water sits on the bottom, then a thickly folded bathroom towel on that, then the wire shelf rests on that and the fermenter goes onto the top).

You can get small sheets from the Green shed, but Metalland often have bits and pieces - at least up here in the country they do.

Cheers
Steve

 

[sjcampbell]

I built a little 3 legged (and top) stand that tucks perfectly under the stock wire shelf.

A few good coats of paint and ample drying time has kept it nice.. easy to cloth clean dry too when I encounter excessive blow off, spills, etc.

Cheers
reVox

Love the light in a terra cotta pot! We used to do that to give heat with day old chicks!

Cheers
Steve

 

[zabond]

built mine out of a piece of expanded aluminium security flywiredoor panel scrounged from a hard rubbish drive,you could try a local security door maker for an off cut or a piece cut to size

 

[Sprungmonkey]

whats in the cups revox?

 

[QldKev]

built mine out of a piece of expanded aluminium security flywiredoor panel scrounged from a hard rubbish drive,you could try a local security door maker for an off cut or a piece cut to size

Seen that done a couple of times, it looks really neat.


I just have a couple of spare shelves stacked together for each shelf. ie 3 shelves on top of each other; been working for years.

QldKev

 

[Camo1234]

whats in the cups revox?

Yeah interested to hear what it is... It looks like something to soakup the moisture in the fridge and seeing a light in there for heat I assume that the fridge is not turned on? Would you also require mouisture to be soaked up when the firdge is on? I have heard people talk about mould build up in their fridges so this may be something to avoid the mould?

 

[reVoxAHB]

whats in the cups revox?

It's bi-carb soda. It helps to absorb/reduce some of the sulfur smell from early fermentation (ferm fridge is located in my back room, internal to house). I hadn't thought about it absorbing moisture, but I suppose it could help prevent mold, in that regard. I have absolutely no problem with mold as every few bathces, give the fridge a good warm/soapy water clean followed by diluted iodophor or saniclean spray to air dry. I also leave the door slightly ajar when not in use.

Fridge is plugged in via TempMate heating/cooling as required. Fridge bulb (light source at door open) removed as is not required.

Cheers

 

[reVoxAHB]

Another pic (fridgemate shown, I have since upgraded to TempMate)